Based on the good May fishing action, the Devils Lake “bite” is expected to become exceptional this summer.  Take it from the most respected voice in the fishing industry, Al Lindner. 

 

He was at this north-central North Dakota lake in May filming a Lindner’s Angling Edge TV show with pro angler, world walleye champion and Devils Lake guide Johnnie Candle.  Al said, “We landed really nice walleyes, as many pike as you’d ever want to catch and loads of one of my favorite fish – white bass.”

 

Johnnie said, “The fishing will be incredible from now through summer and into fall.”  He also noted that the numbers of walleyes, pike and white bass are at an all-time high.  He also said that the prairie winds that were so prevalent in spring will give way to breezes (mostly) allowing anglers to travel to their favorite hotspots. 

 

Al said he always learns when at a new lake.  He hadn’t fished Devils Lake for many years, but said it is one lake with no carp, no sheepshead and very few rough fish.  “The wind blew while filming, but we tucked away in enough spots and the walleyes were waiting, along with bass and pike,” he said. 

 

The fish in the bays will start filtering out and set-up on weed edges, rock structures, old road beds and submerged former rocky shorelines, as they usually do, Johnnie observed.  Devils Lake has risen dramatically over the years.  In 1990 it was about 40,000 acres.  Today it is five times that size. Some walleyes remain shallow all year.

 

For deeper walleyes (a prime target for most fishermen and their guides), jigs, crankbaits and slip-bobbers become go-to offerings.  On a lake as sprawling as Devils Lake, many walleye fans run bottom bouncers and spinners to locate fish.  The typical bait with bouncers and spinners is nightcrawlers.  Anglers also switch Gulp! plastic worms for crawlers with good success. 

 

Slip bobbering has become an art on this lake.  Leeches are the main live bait.  Anglers experiment with jigs from 1/32nd ounce to a quarter ounce.  For lighter jigs, they affix a sinker 18 inches above it.  The bobbers are set from just above bottom to much higher, depending on what their electronics tell them. 

 

Guides flood the area with bobbers, each with a different size and color jig.  The fish know, and when one set-up outshines others, changes are made.  When finicky conditions exist, a plain hook with a leech could be the answer.

 

Perch are the fourth major species in Devils Lake.  Even though more and more have been caught during recent summers, perch are mainly targeted in winter.  Most guides don’t chase them in the warm months.  Those running bottom bouncers count perch as bonus fish when they are boated.

 

“No matter what happens with the weather, there will be plenty of fish to catch here on Devils Lake this summer,” Johnnie promised.

 

Al added, “This is a prime fishery for white bass, pike, perch and walleyes.  After my spring trip, I will be back.” 

 

Johnnie Candle, guide, 701-371-9431.

 

Lindner’s Angling Edge TV:  The Outdoor Channel, World Fishing Network, The Sportsman Channel of Canada, Outdoor America, Bally’s North, Midwest, Detroit, Wisconsin and Ohio (formerly Fox Sports), and local broadcast channels.

 

The Devils Lake community may be the most fish-friendly town in North America.  From launch ramps with fish-cleaning stations and a public cleaning station in town to full-service guide services, resorts, a casino, many motels with their own fish-cleaning stations and freezers, to restaurants and hardware, fishermen are welcome.

 

Families are welcome with hiking trails, bird-watching, historical museums and forts, and plenty of shopping.  To tune into these details and much more, check out DEVILSLAKEND.COM.  Peruse the many guide listings, and make a call.  Summer is upon us.